Electric switch



July 8, 1941.

B. H. YOUNG ELECTRIC SWITCH Fil ed March 1, was

Patented July 8, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 1, 1939, Serial No. 259,210

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an electric switch particularly to one adapted to be operated from a remote point and having suitable indicating means to show the position of the switch. A switch of this character finds great "utility in blowers or fans and other installations where the motor to be controlled is disposed in an inaccessible location. Such motors as a rule have a plurality of speeds at which they may run so that the control switch must have'a plurality of corresponding positions.

It is an object of this invention to devise a switch that will be simple, sturdy, compact and inexpensive.

In general, the switch comprises a pair of spaced superposed insulating discs maintained in suitable relationship to each other by a plurality of rigidly spaced conducting members. These members and the two discs together form a rigid framework inclosing an interior region within which the switch'mechanism proper is installed. Each of the spacing members carries a fixed contact which extends inwardly towards the central region. A shaft rotatably mounted in both discs extends through the central region and carries a rotor. This rotor may carry one or more suitable contacts to cooperate with the fixed contacts for switching purposes.

In order to promote easy assembly, each of the spacing members is adapted to be threaded through the contacts and through suitable apertures in both discs. A connecting lug for each spacing member is conveniently provided by havingthe lug threaded over a portion of the spacing member and forced tightly against one of said insulating discs to'maintain the lug in position. Hence, assembly operations are reduced to a minimum.

Any suitable actuating means for the rotor may be provided and in this case the rotor is provided with a ratchet wheel which is operated upon by a spring and pawl assembly extending into said central region from between two spacing members. The pawl itself may be operated by any chain or any other means from a remote point and serves to advance the switch one step at a time. To provide a convenient means for indicating the rotor position, a suitable indicating disc is mounted upon said shaft to turn therewith. Preferably this disk is mounted upon a free portion of the shaft extending beyond one of said discs. The entire switch may be disposed in a suitable housing provided with a window through which a portion of the indicating disc appears and past which the disc is adapted to move.

Because of the assembly of the switch and the disposition of the lugs, but little difficulty is experienced in disposing the switch in comparatively limited spaces and in making suitable connections therewith.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood it will now be explained in connection with'the drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a view of the switch supported in a housing;

, Fig. 2 is a detail of the indicating disc;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the switch with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a detail of a spacing member.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4 there is shown an insulating disc II] of generally circular outline. In spaced relation thereto is a second insulating disc I I of similar shape maintained by a plurality of spacer members I2 and I2. Each spacer member is of suitable metal, such as brass, and as shown in Fig. 5 has reduced ends or tenons I3 and I4. These tenons are threaded through I suitable registering apertures or mortises in the two discs I!) and II. As is clearly evident in Fig. 3, the spacer members are disposed along the peripheral edge portions of the discs and form therewith a frame enclosing acentral interior region.

The spacer members I2 and I2 each support a stationary contact I1 and IT by having one of its tenons, here shown as I3, threaded through mortised mounting portion I8. The mounting portion is wedged between the shoulders of spacer I2. and the inside surface of disc II]. The stationary contact members I1 have spring portions I9 bent over to form a generally U-shaped section.

The other tenon I4 of each spacer is threaded through a soldering lug 22 which normally extends outwardly away from the edge of disc II. The protruding ends of the tenon may be peened over to lock the assembly in position. It will be noted that spacers I2 are uniformly disposed around the peripheries of the discs. One spacer I2 is disposed between two normal spacers I2. This spacer I2 is insulated from casual contact by a strip of fiber 25. The contact member II has its free end I9 shaped somewhat differently than the remaining contact ends I9.

Rotatively supported by the two discs I0 and I I is a stub shaft 28. This shaft normally passes through the centers of the discs and has the portion 29 between discs enlarged to form a square section. An insulating rotor 30 is carried by shaft portion 29 and normally lies against the inside surface of disc Ill. The rotor 30 has an irregular cam shape, as seen in Fig. 3, to provide as many cam projections 3| as there are normal stationary contacts l1. Rotor 30 is made of suitable insulation and has a ground contact 33 at the top and an extension side contact 34. Stationary contact [1 has its free end l9 bearing against ground contact 32. The remaining stationary contacts I'I bear against the sides of the rotor and one of the stationary contacts at a time is adapted to bear against side rotor contact 33. Due to the shape of the rotor and the action of the stationary contacts an index action is obtained.

To indicate the position of the rotor, shaft 28 has a free portion 35 extending beyond disc II. An indicating disc 36 is mounted on shaft portion 35. Since the switch as shown has five positions, the disc may be marked with the numerals shown or any other indicia. Any other number of switch positions may be provided or a different type of indicator may be used.

The switch rotor is adapted to be advanced one switch position at a time. To accomplish this, shaft portion 29 carries a ratchet wheel 38 having ratchet teeth 39 equal in number to the number of switch positions, here five. A supporting handle portion 40 has a pair of rigid portions 4! and 42 disposed between discs I and II in a manner similar to spacers l2. Slidably disposed between opposing parallel flat surfaces of portions 4| and 42 is a pawl member 45 having a general U-shape. This member has a pawl arm 46 with a claw 41 to engage a ratchet tooth 39l The other arm 48 is shaped to provide two spring fingers 49 and 50 bearing on shaft portion 29 on opposite sides of ratchet wheel 38. Both'arms 46 and 4'! are springy and tend to hug the shaft.

To withdraw the pawl member, a flat rod 52 having a head 53 is threaded through an'aperture in the base portion of the pawl member 45 and extends into a bore 54 in handle portion 40. A coil spring 55 disposed around rod 52 urges pawl member 45 and rod 52 toward the shaft 28. Rod 52 has its end 56 bent to engage a drawbar member 51 at a loop portion 58. A suitable chain 60 is engaged by said draw-bar and retained in position by a set screw 6| in a universal lever 62. This lever has an end 63 playing against face 64 of handle portion 40 and may be tilted in any direction to pull out draw-bar 51 against its spring bias. The chain may be used to pull out or tilt universal lever 62 for switch position.

In the position of the switch mechanism as seen in Fig. 3, a pull on the chain will turn the rotor clockwise one switch position. Upon release of the chain, spring 55 urges pawl member 45 toward the shaft. Claw 41 rides around a ratchet tooth toward the front thereof whereupon the spring arms cause the claw to engage a new ratchet tooth in prepaartion for a new operating cycle.

The switch may be conveniently disposed in a housing 65 by clamping between nuts 66 and 61 threaded on the outsideof handle portion 40. A window 69 in the housing may be used for exposing an indication on disc 36.

For simplicity in manufacturing, it is preferable to so proportion the thickness of disc II and lug 22 on one hand and disc I0 and portion H! of the stationary contacts on the other hand as to be substantially equal. Hence spacers I2 may have equal tenons l3 and 14. By having the solderinglugs and stationary contacts separated by the full length of the spacer body, any heat at the lugs due to soldering will not draw the temper of the contacts.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric switch comprising a pair of spaced parallel superposed insulating disks having a series of spaced registering mortises therethrough adjacent the edges thereof, a plurality of rigid elongated metal members having both ends of each member formed as similar 'tenons, said members connecting said disks to form a framework with a central region between said disks, fixed spring contacts for certain members, each contact having a fiat mortised mounting portion lying against the inside face of one disk only with a tenon passing through said mortised mounting portion, each contact having a contacting portion extending into said central region, a shaft 'rotatively mounted in said disk and passing through said central region, a movable contact carried by saidshaft and cooperating with said fixed contacts for efi'ecting switching during shaft rotation, means for rotating-said shaft for switching purposes, a connecting lug for each contact bearing member, said connecting lug having a-fiatimortised mounting'portion adjacent the other disk only and through which a tenon passes, said lug mounting portion being substantially thicker than the spring contact mounting portion, said one disk being thicker than the other disk-to compensate for the difference in thickness between the two metal mounting,portionsatopposite ends of a member.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the connecting lugs are disposed against the outer face of said other disk, wherein said shaft extends beyondsaid other disk and carries an indicating plate spaced from but covering said lug mounting portions.

BEN YOUNG. 

